Kenneth G. Wilson (1923–). The Columbia Guide to Standard American English. 1993.
salary increment, bonus, COLA, raise, rise (nn.)
A salary increment means “a pay raise”: sometimes there is the added inference that the increase is regular in size or timing. It is probably a euphemism, intended to add dignity to a topic felt to be grubby. A raise (British rise) in salary may be based on merit (a merit raise) or longevity or something else. A COLA (an acronym for cost-of-living adjustment) is an increase that keeps real wages aligned with the average rate of inflation. A bonus is a single lump-sum payment not part of an annual salary.
